Provided are systems and methods for line volume calibration, and measurement of fluid samples delivered to an interrogation point. In various embodiments, a known fluid volume comprising a sample line fluid and a secondary fluid is delivered to a fluid boundary sensor. The fluid boundary sensor assists in determining the position of the boundaries between the various fluids, and the positions of these boundaries are used to determine the sample line fluid volume.

To obtain a highly reliable measurement result, this invention is characterized by comprising: an automated analyzer (100) having a sample probe (122) for drawing in and discharging a sample and a sample probe cleaning unit (110) having a sample dispensing unit (121) for at least moving the sample probe (122) from the position of a sample container (152) in which the sample is accommodated to the position of a reaction container (131) into which the sample is to be dispensed, and being configured to carry out first cleaning in which cleaning water is discharged around the sample probe (122) between the drawing in of the sample from the sample container (152) and the discharging of the sample into the reaction container (131); and a controller (200) for controlling the discharging and stopping of the cleaning water in the first cleaning for a prescribed inspection item.

The present invention comprises: an ISE measurement unit 32 that measures the electrolyte concentration of a sample; a spectrophotometer 14 that measures biochemical parameters of a sample; a pH measurement mechanism 34 that measures the pH of a sample; sample dispensing mechanisms 21, 22 that dispense the sample for measurement in the ISE measurement unit 32 or the spectrophotometer 14 from a container that contains the sample; and a conveyance mechanism 27 that conveys the container. The conveyance mechanism 27, the sample dispensing mechanisms 21, 22, and the pH measurement mechanism 34 are disposed such that the dispensing of the sample by the pH measurement mechanism 34 for pH measurement, or pH measurement, is performed after the dispensing of the sample by the sample dispensing mechanisms 21, 22.

A method (10) for automatically diluting a patient sample (20) onboard an immunoassay diagnostic system (100) includes: a) pipetting a first amount (22) of the patient sample (20) from a primary sample vessel (30) at a sample presentation unit (142) to a sample vessel (32) with a sample pipetting device (152); b) pipetting a second amount (26) of the patient sample (20) from the sample vessel (32) to a first dilution vessel (36) with the sample pipetting device (152); c) pipetting a first amount (62) of diluent (60) to the first dilution vessel (36) with a reagent pipetting device (162) thereby making a first patient sample dilution (50); and d) storing the first dilution vessel at a sample storage unit (158).

The object of the invention is to avoid a decrease in dispensing accuracy of a sample, a reagent, or the like as a temperature changes. In an automatic analyzer, a dispensing nozzle sucks the sample from a sample container holding the sample and discharges the sample to a reaction container. A syringe pump controls an amount of change in a volume of water. A first pipe connects the dispensing nozzle and the syringe pump. An electromagnetic valve flows or stops the water. A second pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the syringe pump. A branch pipe branches the water. A third pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the branch pipe. A case accommodates at least the syringe pump, the first pipe, the electromagnetic valve, the second pipe, the branch pipe, and the third pipe. Further, the third pipe includes a heat exchange unit that performs heat exchange of the water.

When the automatic analyzer is installed in an environment with a high altitude and different external atmospheric pressures, there is a problem that an amount of vacuum suction decreases due to a decrease in suction performance of a vacuum pump and it is difficult to perform vacuum suction of an analyzed reaction liquid. In view of the above, by newly providing a pressure adjustment mechanism within a flow path connecting a vacuum tank to vacuum pump, it possible to control the pressure difference between a pressure in the vacuum tank and an external atmospheric pressure where the analyzer is installed to be constant regardless of the installation environment. Additionally, by providing a hole in communication with the outside in the vacuum tank or a vacuum bin, it possible to control the pressure difference between the pressure in the vacuum tank and the external atmospheric pressure where the analyzer is installed to be constant regardless of the installation environment.

The present technology is directed to extraction devices, systems, and methods for controllably withdrawing and transferring fluid samples, such as blood, from a sample collection container to a testing device. For example, some embodiments of the present technology provide fluid extraction devices that include a fluid control module, a housing containing a receiving element and a suction element, and an actuator. To transfer blood from a sample collection container to a testing device, a user places the sample collection container over the receiving element and inserts the testing device into an outlet of the fluid control module. The user then pushes a lever or otherwise actuates the actuator, which automatically withdraws a predetermined volume of blood from the sample collection container and transfers it to the testing device positioned at the outlet of the fluid control module.

A smear system includes smear preparing apparatus that prepares a smear slide and a smear transporting apparatus that transports the smear slide to a smear-image capture apparatus. The smear preparing apparatus includes: a smear preparation part that smears a sample on a slide; and a smear arrangement part that places smear slides in a smear container. The smear transporting apparatus includes: a smear-container transport part that transports the smear container with the smear slides; an identification-information acquisition part that acquires identification information on whether image capturing by the smear-image capture apparatus is necessary, from each of the smear slides accommodated in the smear container positioned on a transport path of the smear-container transport part; and a smear transfer part that transfers the smear slide whose image is to be captured to the smear-image capture apparatus on the basis of the identification information acquired by the identification-information acquisition part.

A single-piece hybrid droplet generator and nozzle component for serial crystallography. The single-piece hybrid droplet generator component including an internally-formed droplet-generation channel, an internally-formed sample channel, a nozzle, and a pair of electrode chambers. The droplet-generation channel extends from a first fluid inlet opening to the nozzle. The sample channel extends from a second fluid inlet opening to the droplet-generation channel and joins the droplet-generation channel at a junction. The nozzle is configured to eject a stream of segmented aqueous droplets in a carrier fluid from the droplet-generation channel through a nozzle opening of the single-piece component. The pair of electrode chambers are positioned adjacent to the droplet-generation channel near the junction between the droplet-generation channel and the sample channel. The timing of sample droplets in the stream of fluid ejected through the nozzle is controlled by applying a triggering signal to electrodes positioned in the electrode chambers of the single-piece component.

Devices and methods for the deposition of reagents onto cells or tissue samples are disclosed. Also disclosed are reagent compositions suitable for dispensing via a droplet-on-demand system.